Railway-switch.



'No. 674,567. Patented May 2|, 19m.

' I. WA'NTLI'NG. v

RAILWAY SWITCH.

(Application Med Dec. 1 1900.) I an: Model.) 2 sheds-shoe: I.

l as

' UNiTnD STATES ATE/NT i FFICE.

ISAAC VVANTLING, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

.RAlLWAY-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,567, dated May 21,1901.

Application filed December 1, 1.900. berial No. 38,354. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, ISAAC WANTLING, a citi zen of the United States,residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switches; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same. My inventionrelates to improvements in street railway switches and to automaticswitching mechanism for moving the switch point or tongue from theplatform of a car.

The object of my invention is to produce an improvement in switch pointsor tongues whereby at comparatively small cost a simple, strong, anddurable article of the kind may be produced and whereby mechanismsupported by the car-body and traveling in a path above the switch pointor tongue may be intermittingly actuated to engage an auxiliary point ofthe tongue to shift it to change the direction of a car traveling overit as may be desired; and a further object of my improvement is to avoidthe possibility of the operating arm or bar which contacts with thetongue coming into contact with the pavement or ground caused by theplatform of a car assuming a lower level either by the oscillation ofthe car while in motion or by the variable loads; and a still furtherobject of the invention is to provide a switch point or tongue which maybe applicable for switching cars where the current is derived from anoverhead system or from beneath the pavement, as in an undergroundsystem, where a center slot or groove is used for carrying a shoedepending from the car, as is necessary to make provision to carry thecurrent or other power to the car and to insure the shoe following theslots at curves, all of which is fully described and illustrated in theaccompanying specification and drawings and claimed in the appendedclaims.

Figure 1 illustrates in ground plan myimprovements as applied tostreetrailways. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of myautomatic shifting mechanism carried by the platform of a car. Fig. 3 isan end elevation, partly in section, of similar parts.

Fig. 4.is an enlarged detail view of certain parts. Fig. 5 is a view inelevation of a modified form of mechanism supported by the car-body forengaging the switch-point.

In the present invention it is my aim to produce a device for switchingstreet-railway cars, especially motor-propelled cars, either theoverhead-trolley type or where the current is fed to the car frombeneath the pavement, where it is possible for the motorman as heapproaches the switch with his car and desiring to take the curve toactuate mechanism either by foot-power or by hand which will engage anauxiliary point of the switchtongue and automatically adjust it topermit the car to change its course from a direct line,

provision also being made that upon the approach of a succeeding car themotorman, if it is his wish to continue in a straight course, mayactuate a duplicate of the mechanism necessary to send the car aroundthe curve which is so arranged that it will shift the tongue in adirection just opposite to that previously mentioned and permit the carto remain in a straight course. This arrangement will insure a perfectswitching apparatus and enable the car to travel at an ordinary speed,approach the switch, and continue in either desired direction withoutthe motorman getting from the car or causing him to pay any particularattention to the switch other'than actuate a mechanism which will insurethe tongue being shifted in a direction to cause the car to continue itsproper course, thus saving a great deal of time, with the slightestadditional cost, if any, to the road, and in instances where undergroundpower is employed doing away with the services of additional help whostand ready to shift the switch-point as may be necessary. Referringmore particularly to the switching device, 1 refers to the main track,and 2 to a curved extension of same, forming a branch or siding thereof.It is customary at the j unc tion where the main track and branch orsiding come together to have a switch point or tongue to switch carsfrom one track to another or to permit the cars to travel in a directline, and it is with reference to this switch point or tongue that Ihave made my improvement and refer to the switch point or tongue as 3,which is pivotally carried in the base of boxing 4, the same beingpivoted in the boxing at 5. In the construction of the boxing 4 I haveshown the same provided with a guard-rail 6, which extends the length ofthe same, with the exception of the open way 7, arranged for a purposedescribed. On the inner side of boxing 4 I have provided the short guardrail or flange 8, extending from a point at the front of the boxing to apoint somewhat near the center of the same, as shown. It will be noticedby examination of the drawings that very little extra room, if any, isrequired for the use of my boxing.

The tongue 3 is provided with the switchpoint 3, and at a point somewhatremoved from the point I have shown a lateral ex tension 9, extending ashort distance from the body of the tongue and arranged to pass throughthe open way 7 of the guard-rail and terminate at a point near the inneredge of the boxing, and extending forwardly from the center body portionof the extension 9 I have shown an auxiliary switchpoint 10, which maybe half-diamond or wedge shaped, and the arrangement is such that it iscarried in a groove 11, formed by the guard-rails 6 and 8, purposed tobe engaged by a mechanism depending from a car-platform which will shiftthe point either to the right or left in the boxing 4. It is to benoticed that space is left between the straight side of the tongue 3 andthe guard-rail 6 to permit a flange of the wheel to traverse when a caris going in a straight line and also to make provision for the shiftingmotion of the tongue to allow the flange of the wheel to take the curvedrail 2 when the auxiliary point 10 is shifted to the right, it beingunderstood that when the mechanism from the car engages the auxiliarypoint between the guard-rail 6 and the point 10 the tongue will beshifted to the right and that when the mechanism is caused to engage thepoint between the guard-rail 8 and the point the tongue will be shiftedto the left, or as in the position now illustrated;

The extension 9 adjacent to the tongue ischamfered at 9 and hassufficient depth to allow the flange to hug closely to the straight sideof the tongue when traveling in a direct I course, and to permit of theswinging movement of the extension 9 in the boxing I have madesuflicient space between the ends of the guard-rails 6 and 8 to permitof such movement, so that there will be no binding.

The automatic mechanism for actuating the tongue from the body of theplatform comprises a bar or shoe l2, pivoted at 13 to permita verticalswinging movement of the same. The bar is carried in an inclinedposition, and the rear portion of the same forms an arc with the convexside to the track and is made tapered at 14:, with the end forming awedge 15. A socket 16 extends up from the bar or shoe l2, and connectedwith it, so that the bar may have a pivoted relation to permit sidethrust, is an operating-rod '17, which extends up through the platformof the car and has a foot-tread 18 attached thereto, and 19 is acoil-spring around the rod, located between the floor and the tread 18,which is designed to hold the rod 17 in an upward position. 20 isabracket-support bolted or otherwise secured to the bottom of theplatform and has the perforation 21, through which the rod 17 passes.

It will be noticed that I have described in detail the above elements asforming one device for shifting the tongue; but itis to be alsounderstood that this is arranged in duplicate and so claimed, withcorresponding parts to be carried and actuated as above described, whichis arranged alongside the previouslydescribed apparatus, one to beactuated for throwing the tongue to permit a car to travel in a straightcourse and the other actuated when it is desired to shift the tongue tocause the car to take the curve of the rail, all of which is located onthe platform a good way ahead of the wheels and in such position thatthe tongue is shifted some time in advance of the wheels reaching thesame. The bars 1'3 are carried in such a position beneath the car thatthey may in traveling, if depressed, pass into the base-plate or boxingcontaining the tongue and auxiliary point in such a manner that thetapered portions 14 will travel in paths between the auxiliary point 10and the guard-rail 6 and guard 8, which will insure the tongue beingshifted, and they pass into the base-plate and engage the extension 9and will, if still depressed, be forced upinto their normal positions.

I have made provision, as above indicated, to adapt my device tostreet-railways using the underground electric system, where contactingshoes depending from the car through a center groove or slot (which ishere referred to as 1) will be caused to follow the slot correspondingto the movement of the car when switched or traveling in a straightcourse.

23 refers to a shiftable bar,which is arranged to be locatedtransversely across the main track and may be carried in the box 25,which is located in the pavement between the rails and is connected orattached to the inner end of the lateral extension 9 from the tongue,and located at or near the center of the bar 23, I have shown twogrooves or slots, (designated as 26 and 26%) the slot 26 being straightand the slot 26 forming an arc, and depending from the center of the barI have shown What may be termed as a stirrup 27, and in the same I haveseated a contact-plate 28. This arrangement is such that a car passingover the rails having a shoe which traverses the center groove or slot 1will be engaged by means when the tongue is shifted to direct a shoe ina straight course or directed around a curve. This is accomplishedthrough the shiftable bar 23, the slots of which when the same is movedeither to the right or to 25 els in the path of the auxiliary point.

depending lug 32.

IO having an auxiliary engaging point capable of being acted upon onopposite sides to move the switching-point by means ofautomatically-carried mechanism from the car-platform, and I do not knowof any device of the above construction that is carried in a box such asI have herein illustrated and described.

Fig. 5 of the drawings illustrates a modified form of mechanism which Iplan to employ and wish to cover as part of my original device, in whichI provide only one depressing-rod, (referred to as 29,) having suitableconnection at its lower end with an anchorshoe 30, having a convexsurface, which trav- I carry the depressing-rod up through the platformof the car and have the upper end arranged to be within easy reach ofthe motorman and provide thereon a hand-lever 31, having the I employ afoot-tread, as is already described, and a spring carried between thesame and the platform of the car to insure the depressing-rod assumingits normal position after the tongue has been shifted. The upper part ofthe rod 29 may be squared and have a loose connection with the lever 31,for the' reason that I design to carry a notched plate fixed to thedashboard of the car, which is referred to as 33, the notches 40 ofwhich are purposed to be engaged by the lug 32 of the lever. When it isdesired to shift the point of the tongue, the motorman first shifts thelever in the direction in which he wishes the shoe to engage thepoint-that 43 is to say, the right or left side thereofand then to causethe shoe to engage the point he presses upon the foot-tread, thedepressingbar is lowered, the point is engaged, and the tongue shifted,and as soon as the rod assumes its normal position he throws the leverforms a support and brace for the shoe and lower edge of the rod.

It is obvious that various changes may be made both in the constructionof the tongue, the auxiliary point, and the switching mech- 6o anism andthat the tongue may be constructed to work either on the right or lefthand track and the connecting mechanism with the switch-bar varied tomeet the various conditions on different railways either in the methodof operating the same, as shown, or

by the provision of levers to accomplish the same result,and that thesame may be used in connection with cable, steam, or electric roads orfor underground electric mining purposes without affecting the principleof invention herein set forth.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In switching mechanism, a tongue or similar device having aswitching-point pivoted in a partioned base-plate, a lateral extensionof said tongue extended inwardly and an auxiliary point from saidextension located on the opposite side of the partition arranged to beengaged by suitable switching mechanism carried by a moving body,substantially as described.

2. In switching mechanism, a tongue or similar device havingswitchingpoint, an extended body portion of said tongue and an extendedpoint of said body, the extended body portion chamfered as shown, incombination with a base-plate having a guard-rail and a guard andarranged to have the extended point of the body lie between theguard-rail and guard, substantially for the purpose herein described.

3. In combination with intersecting maintrack and track rails, andswitch mechanism, of a tongue having a switch-point arranged to engagethe rail and pivoted in a partitioned base-plate, an auxiliary pointlying parallel with said tongue and on the opposite side of thepartition, arranged to be engaged by auxiliary mechanism traveling inthe shifting path of the auxiliary point for shifting the same, in themanner and for the purpose .de-

scribed.

4. In switching mechanism, a tongue having a pivotal relation with abase-plate or boxing, aguard-rail of said boxing and an open spacetherein, an auxiliary guard lying parallel to the guard-rail and forminga chamber between them,an extension of said tongue, and a tapered pointof said extension lying in. the aforesaid chamber in such a manner as tobe engaged on opposite sides, substantially for the purpose set forth.

5. In switching mechanism, a tongue having a switching-point and anauxiliary point carried by an extension of said tongue, the saidextension movable in a chambered portion of a base-plate to which saidtongue is pivoted and arranged to be engaged upon opposite sides bymechanism carried by a car and traveling in a plane above the chamberedportion of the base-plate, of one or more bars or shoes suspended fromthe platform and mechanism for depressing said shoe or shoes to engagesaid auxiliary point or tongue as they are depressed in the chamber ofthe base-plate, substantially as described.

6. In switching mechanism, a tongue having a pivotal relation with abase-plate or boxing, a guard-rail of said boxing, and an auxiliaryguard separated therefrom, a lateral extension from the body of thetongue, a transverse Wedge extending therefrom and lying in thebase-plate between the guardrail and guard, swinging shoes dependingfrom a car-body, traveling in the path of the wedge and depressingmechanism, substantially as shown and described.

7. In switching mechanism, a tongue having a switch-point arranged toengage the rail, an inwardly-carried lateral extension thereof and asupplemental point from said extension arranged to be engaged byauxiliary mechanism for shifting said tongue, a shiftable bar arrangedto be connected with said lateral extension located transversely acrossthe track and provided with a groove or grooves located in the centerbody portion thereof, substantially for the purpose described.

8. In combination with a switch-point a tongue having an auxiliary pointcarried by an extension from the tongue, a reciprocating bar lyingtransversely in a box across the track and suitablyconnected with thetongue, and provided with a straight and curved groove or slot aboutcentral therein arranged in the side movement intermittinglyimparted tosaid bar to coincide with a centrally-disposed slot or groove in thetrack.

9. In combination with the tongue 3, provided with the parallel extendedswitch-point 10, lying in a chambered base-plate, switching mechanismsupported in a moving body, one or more shoes of said mechanism providedwith beveled engaging faces arranged to be depressed for alternatelyengaging opposite sides of the point 10, and means for depressing theshoe or shoes, substantially as described.

10. In combination, the box 4 having a split guard-rail 6 and theauxiliary guard or flange 8 and the tongue 3 having points carried uponopposite sides of said guard-rail 6, substantially for the purposedescribed.

11. In combination, the boxing 4 provided with the split guard-rail 6and the auxiliary guard or flange 8, a tongue 3 having the point 3*, anextension 9 carried through the split portion of the guard-rail 6, andan auxiliary point 10 lying parallel with the point 3 and between theguard-rail 6 and the guard 8, substantially for the purpose described.

12. A switching mechanism comprising the following elements: abase-plate with a guard-rail and a guard, an open way in the guard-rail,a tongue pivoted on one side of the guard-rail, an extension passingthrough the open way in the guard-rail and arranged to have connectedtherewith a transverselyslotted bar, a point extending out from saidextension lying in the base-plate between the guard-rail and guard, incombination with engaging mechanism supported by a car-body for engagingthe point on opposite sides, substantially as described and shown.

13. In combination with the boxing 4, provided with the split guard-rail6, and guard 8, the tongue 3, extension 9, and point 10, from saidextension lying between the guardrail 6, and guard 10, of the switchingmechanism comprising the shoes 12, with tapered portions 14:,depressing-rods 17, to which the shoes are attached, and a foot-pressfor said rods and springs 19, all arranged in the manner and for thepurpose set forth.

14:. Switching mechanism, comprising a base-plate having a splitguard-rail and a guard forming a compartment between the guard-rail andguard, of a tongue provided with an extension and an auxiliary pointfrom said extension lying in said chamber, a chamfered portion of saidtongue, a bar suitably connected with the extension of the tongue andarranged to be rociprocated across the track, a depending stirrup ofsaid bar and a straight and curved slot in the body thereof,substantially as described.

15. In combination with a switch-point having a lateral extension, andan auxiliary shifting-point from said extension, of a bar capable ofreciprocation lying across the track and suitably connected to theswitch-point or extension thereof, the same provided with transverseslots, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

ISAAC WANTLING.

Witnesses:

CHAS. W. LA Pours, JUSTIN I-I. WANTLING.

